Acetylene generator



J1me 1931. J. L. MANDEVILLE ACETYLENE GENERATOR Filed Sept. 3,1925 '3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR:

BY WW A TTORNEYS.

June 9, 1931. J. L. MANDEVILLE 1,809,521

ACETYLENE GENERATOR Filed Sept. 5, 1925 s Sheets-Sheet 2 I INVENTOR:

A T TORNEYS.

June 9, 1931. DE E 1,809,521

ACETYQENE GENERATOR Filed Sept. 3, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V EN TOR.

W ATTORNEYS Patented June 9, 1931 sTAas FFHCE JOHN MANDE'VILLE, F 'ARLINGTQN', NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR '10 OXWELD ACETYLENE COMPANY, A CORPURATIION OF WEST VIRGINIA ACETILENE Application filed September This invention relates to acetylene generators, and more particularly to portable acetylene generators in which calcium carbide is fed automatically into water'in the generator when the supply of gas therein falls below a predetermined volume or pressure.

One of the principal objects of this inven tion is to provide an improved acetylene generator in which the feed of the carbide is automatically controlled by mechanism that is quickly responsive to variationsoi the gas pressure in the generating chamber.

The further object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for the generation of acetylene having a simple unitary construction, especially adapted for portable service, in which-one compartment contains the'gas generating means, and an adjoining compartment contains the feed control buoyancy member as well as auxiliaries, such as a filter, a pressure regulating valve and a back pres sure valve;

Another object of this invention is to provide an acetylene generator thatis capable of operating satisfactorily and automatically under heavy overloads, and strong enough to withstand the severe conditions to which it is subjected in field service.

The above and other objects and advantages'of the invention will become apparent from the following description taken with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective'view of an embodiment of the present invention, with. parts broken away to expose the interior construction Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the upper part of the acetylene generator shown in Fig. 1 with parts omitted for clarity to 40 show the calcium carbide hopper with the feed control mechanism associated therewith; and l Fig. 3.is a vertical sectional view of the improved generator, parts being broken away,to show the side of the partition that is hidden in Fig. 1.

- Generallyspeaking, the improved genera tor comprises a sheet metal tank T adapted to contain water and having its interior divided to provide a generating chamber G and GENERATOR 3, 1925. Serial No. 54,322.

a buoyancy chamber F. These chambers may be formed, as shown, by a diametrical partition P extending from the top of the tank to ashort distance aboveits bottom, whereby the chambers communicate with one another and any variation of gas pressure in the generating chamber is directly transmitted through the water therein to the buoyancy chamber to cause the operation of the carbide feed control mechanism. This improved mechanism comprises a heavier-tl1an-water buoyancy in the form of a feed pan A which, as shown, may consist of a substantially rectangular open top vessel that is adapted to be filled with water and is suspended by suitable means, as by chains 10 and a rod 11, from thefree end of a feed lever L pivoted at its fixed end on a bracket 12 and operatively coupledintermediate its ends to a carbide feed valve V that controls the carbide outlet 13 of a carbide hopper H in the upper end of the generating chamber G. Auxiliary devices, such as a filter B, a pressure regulating valve C, a hydraulic back-pressure valve D, and piping may be mounted within the buoyancy chamber and in the generating chamber, thus eliminating these as obstructions on the outside of the tank.

The generating chamber G is gas tight, being sealed by water in the bottom thereof and closed at the top by a plate 15 and the carbide hopper that is secured in an opening in said plate. As shown, the carbide hopper may have a tapering lower end provided with the discharge outlet 1.3 that is controlled by a suitable feed valve V, which maybe of the conical receding type. A spring pressed shutoff valve V may also be provided. The valves V and V may be carried by a valve rod 16 that projects upwardly through a housing 17 secured centrally in thehopper, as by suitable brackets l8 and a carbide support and deflector 19. A helical spring S in the housing 17 tends .to close the valve V. The. lower end of said spring bears against an abutment 171 secured to the housing 17 and the upper end thereof bears against a sleeve 20 that is slidable through the stationary housing cap 172 and engages a nut 21 orother shoulder adjacent theupper end of the rod 16, thus tending to raise the latter and the valve V thereon to close the outlet 13.

When the generator is operating, the move ment of the carbide valve V is controlled by the feed lever L which, in turn, is controlled by the feed pan A that descends and rises in accordance with pressure variations in the generating chamber. As acetylene is withdrawn from the generating chamber, the water in the latter rises to displace the gas drawn off. This causes the water in the buoyancy chamber to descend and permits the weight of the Water in the feed pan A to op erate through the lever L and connections against the carbide valve spring S and gas pressure against the diaphragm 28 to open the carbide valve V. As the carbide falls into the water in the generating chamber, the acetylene produced by the carbide-water reaction displaces water in the generating chamber and causes the water level in the buoyancy chamber to rise and buoy the feed pan A and so permit the valve spring S to close the valve The operative connection between the lever L and the spring S may comprise a pin 22 that is pivoted at 23 intermediate the ends of the lever L and has its free end bearing in a socket 24 at the outer end of a plunger 25 that is slidable in a central hole 26 in the carbide charging door 27. The inner end of the plunger 25 ex ends through and is secured to a diaphragm 28 by a bolt 29. The diaphragm 28 prevents gas and air leakage past the plunger 25, and the bolt 29 constitutes a head that thrusts against but is not mechanically connected to nut 30 or head on the upper end of the valve rod 16. Accordingly, when the plunger 25 is depressed by the lever L and pin 22, the nut 29 thrusts against and depresses the nut 30 and the rod 16 carrying the latter to open the valve V. In one extreme position, the diaphragm 28 seats in a depression 31 in the inner side of the charging door 27, and its movement in the opposite direction is limited b a concave guard 32, both the diaphra m an guard being secured to the inner si e of the charging door. 1 The charging door may be held in gas tight relation to an opening 33 of the hopper cover plate 34 by a swingable clamp bar 35 hinged at 36 and fastened by the swing bolt and wing nut 37 fitting into the forked end of bar 35. The arrangement of. the carbide feed control means is such that the parts may be quickly and easily disconnected and reconnected when the door. 27 is to be opened and closed to charge carbide into the hopper H. The upper end of the rod 11 may be withdrawnfrom the forked free end of the lever L, whereupon the latter may be swung about its pivot 12] on the bracket 12 into a position to hang along the outside of the tank, the outer end of the bracket overhanging the side of the tank sufficiently for this purpose. Since the pin 22 merely rests in the socket 24, no mechanical manipulation is needed at that point, except raising the lever L. An opening 351 in the clamp 35 is of sufiicient size to swing clear of the upper end of the plunger 25. The piston 25, diaphragm 28 and guard 32 are carried with the charging door when the latter is lifted off its seat, the guard 32' being provided with a central opening 321 of sufficient size to clear the nuts 21 and 30 at the upper end of the valve rod 16. Replacement of the charging door is substantially the reverse of and as simple as its removal.

The feed pan A is filled with water to provide a heavier-than-water buoyancy member which is supported partly by the buoyancy of the water in the float chamber and partly by the valve spring S and as pressure against the diaphragm 28, suita le pan guides 136 being secured to the partition P to prevent any possibility of wedging or catching of the pan. This arrangement affords a very sensitive control for the carbide feed valve V, so that the latter is quickly responsive to changes in gas pressure in the generating chamber and a comparatively constant acetylene pressure is maintained in the generating chamber under severe service conditions as well as under normal operating conditions. is therefore especially adapted for blowpipe work where constancy of pressure is a ne cessity.

The chambers are-desirably semi-circular in crosssection, as shown, but they may be 1 circular and concentrically arranged one within the other, or of other suitable sectlon.

The improved generator.

The two chambers are preferably of about the same cross-sectional area, so that any variation in pressure or volume in the generati 11g chamber will be transmitted directly in practically equal amount to the feed pan A which controls the carbide feed. By this construction, the range of movement of the feed pan is kept within practical limits,

which would not be the case if the area of the buoyancy chamber were very small compared with the generating chamber; and on the other hand, if the area of the latter were decidedly smaller than that of the former, the movements of the feed pan would be insuflicient for practical purposes.

The acetylene generated by the interaction of calcium carbide and water collects in the upper part of the generating chamber.

The gas passes downwardly through a standpipe 137 having a water sealed pipe 38 at the lower end thereof to drain off any condensation, and into a tee connector 39 which passes through the partition P and is joined by suitable means to the inlet 40 of B, which is desirably located chamber above the feed pan. The outlet of the filter is connected with the inlet of a presa suitable filter sure regulator C that controls the gas presin the buoyancy sure in the system. Any dependable type of regulator may be used, but a positive pressure non-adjustable type set at approximately one-half pound is preferred. The supply of gas passes from the regulator through a control cock 41 to a hydraulic back pressure valve D having a'service fitting 42 connected thereto, which is readily insertable into the end of a hose leading to a blowpipe or the like. Vater may be filled in*o the backpressurevalve D by means of a filling fitting 43 and water level fitting 43 or drained therefrom by a drain fitting 44. Fittings 43, 44 and the service fitting project through the side of the tank as may be clearly seen from Fig. 1. The piping and auxiliaries are supported by the partition and the wall of the tank, the auxiliaries being located within the buoyancy chamber so that the tank is free from large exterior obstructions, except for a pair of carrying handles 45 and a residuum gate 46. Of course, the auxiliaries may be hung on the outside of the generator without affecting their operation or that of the generator. The top of the buoyancy chamber is open to the atmosphere but may be provided with a pair of hinged perforated covers 47 lying on opposite sides of the rod 11.

The generator maybe provided with an agitator comprising a staff 48 disposed vertically in the float chamber, having a handle 49 adjacent the top of the tank, and a sweep arm 50 near thebottom and projecting under the lower edge of the partition into the generating chamber. The agitator is carried by a mounting 51 which is secured to the bottom of the tank. The agitator may be oscillated back and fort-h by the handle 49 to stir any sediment in the bottoms of the chambers that may have formed from the lime produced by the carbide-water reaction, and to facilitate the removal of the sludge from the tank. A suitable bafiie 52 having side wings 52- may be provided to prevent carbide from drifting into the buoyancy chamber. A baffle 53 is adapted to, keep sludge from moving over to the float chamber, and baffle 54 is adapted to deflect gas and prevent it from rising into the float chamber. The baflies 52 and 54 maybe secured-to opposite sides of the partition. A suitable water overflow outlet 55 may also be provided.

The operation of the generator is practically self-evident from the foregoing description. In order to fill the carbide hopper with calcium carbide, the feed pan rod 11 is unhooked from its socket at the end of the lever L, whichis swung back until it hangs close to the outside of the tank. The

charging door clamp 35 is then swung back so that the charging door 27 may be removed. After carbide has been charged into the hopper, the door and clamp are replaced. Suflicient water may now be introduced into the generator through the open top of the float chamber. The feed pan A is also completely filled with water, and the generator is ready for the production of acetylene.

In starting the generator, it is desirable to that it may raise the carbide feed valve into the outlet of the hopper to shut off the feedof carbide. As noted before, the acetylene gas passes from the generating chamber to the filter where it is cleaned. After leaving the filter, it passes through the regulator and back pressure valve, to the service fitting. When the lines have been clearedof air and only acetylene is issuing from the generator, a rubber hose may be. coupled to the service fitting to conduct the gas to a blowpipe or other apparatus for consumption. As the gas is consumed, the pressure falls in the gen erating chamber with a proportionate fall in the water level in the buoyancy chamber. The feed pan descends with a fall in water level and opens the carbide feed valve, as already explained, admitting carbide into the generating chamber. deflected away from the lower end of the partition so that it will not be carried into the buoyancy chamber by the movement of the water, and the deflector thateXtends across the major portion of the bottom of the float chamber keeps the evolved gas from entering the latter. As the gas accumulates in the generating chamber the pressure rises therein, and forces the water level upwardly in the buoyancy chamber which causes the feed pan to close the feed valve as described heretofore. If for any reason the feed valve is not closed when the predetermined pressure is reached, so that gas continues to accumulate and to increase the pressure in the generating chamber, the water is driven below the leg 57 of an over-generation vent 58 through which the excess volume is released. The over-generation vent comes into play wheneverthere is a column of water in excess of 26' inches in the float chamber. A 26 column of water corresponds to less than one pound pressure so that excessive gas pressures cannot be built up in the generator. The surplus gas may be discharged through a suitable fitting attached to the upper part of said vent and projecting through the upper partof the partition into the buoyancy chamber.

In the event that excess pressure is applied to the feed lever or that a failure occurs in The falling carbide is the feed mechanism in the hopper, the shut off valve which is just above the carbide feed valve closes the hopper opening so as to prevent the charge of carbide from falling through, and interacting with the water to generate an excessive quantity of acetylene. By this arrangement the generator is safely protected against improper operation of the device or accidental failure of the feed control mechai n. To safeguard the generator further a..d prevent its operation by unauthorized persons, suitable locking means may be provided therefor, such as a padlock which can be looked through the hole 25 in the plunger 25 and so prevent the operation of the generator or the opening of the charging door. This padlock may be chained to the generator so that it will not become misplaced or lost.

The improved generator is automatically controlled by a simple but sensitive feed mechanism, and its construction is rugged, compact, and practically free from projecting parts, all of which especially adapt it for portable service.

WVhile a preferred construction is illustrated and described, it is to be understood that changes may be made in various parts ithout departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In an acetylene generator, the combination with a generating chamber and a buoyancy member chamber in hydraulic communication with each other, of mechanism for automatically feeding carbide to said generating chamber comprising a heavier-thanwater buoyancy member operating in said buoyancy member chamber, and means for partially supporting the weight of said buoyancy member.

2. In an acetylene generator, the combination of a generating chamber and a buoyancy member chamber in hydraulic communication with each other, whereby displacement of water in said generating chamber dislaces water in said buoyancy member cham- )GI; and mechanism for automatically feeding carbide to said generating chamber comprising a heavier-than-water buoyancy member adapted to contain water and means partially supporting the weight of the buoyancy member in said buoyancy member chamber so that the buoyancy of the water in the latter is adapted to causesaid buoyancy memher to be raised and lowered in accordance with changes of water level in said generating chamber.

3. In an acetylene generator, the combination of a tank adapted to contain water and having a partition terminating above its bottom to provide a generating chamber and a buoyancy chamber in hydraulic communication with'each other, a carbide hopper in said generating chamber, a valve therefor, a

heavier-than-water buoyancy member in said float chamber, an operative connection between the valve and said buoyancy member, and a resilient member partially supporting said buoyancy and tending to close said valve.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3 in which the operative connection between the valve and said buoyancy member comprises a lever extending transversely of said partition.

5. In anacetylene generator, the combination with a generating chamber and a buoyancy chamber in hydraulic communication with each other, of a carbide hopper contained within the generating chamber, a carbide feed valve, means positioned within the said hopper to support said valve and tending to hold said valve in a closed position, and a heavier than water buoyancy member operative to open said feed valve when the water in the buoyancy chamber falls below a predetermined level.

6. In an acetylene generator, the combinae tion with a generating chamber and a buoyancy chamber in hydraulic communication with each other; of a carbide hopper contained within said generating chamber; a conical carbide feed valve adapted to project into the feed mouth of said hopper from the exterior thereof; means positioned within the said hopper to support the said valve; resilient means associated with aforesaid means tending to hold said valve in a closed position; and means comprising a heavier than water buoyancy member in said buoyancy chamber, operative to depress said conical valve to permit a discharge of carbide from said hopper.

7. In an acetylene generator, the combination with a generating chamber and a buoyancy chamber in hydraulic communication with each other, of a carbide hopper secured to the top of said generating chamber, a charging door for said hopper, a diaphragm joined by a gas-tight connection to the under side of said door, an actuating plunger carried by said diaphragm and extending above said charging door, a feed valve for said hopper, a valve rod supporting said feed valve, said rod being depressible by said plunger, a spring tending to hold said valve normally in a closed position, a feed pan containing water movable in accordance with the water level in the buoyancy chamber, and means whereby feed pan operates said plunger to control the opening of the carbide feed valve.

In testimony whereof, I aifix my signature.

JOHN L. MANDEVILLE. 

